


The Things that Test You

by BadWriterGoodIntentions



Category: Midnight Poppy Land (Webcomic)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:13:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25901884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWriterGoodIntentions/pseuds/BadWriterGoodIntentions
Summary: Tora and Poppy try to navigate different challenges in their relationship.
Relationships: Tora/Poppy Wilkes
Comments: 63
Kudos: 83





	1. Chapter 1

It's been over a year since the scooter accident occurred. That accident had set Poppy up for an extraordinary, although sometimes painful and sometimes dangerous, series of events revolving around Tora. They found their way to each other despite their difficult circumstances and misunderstandings, and they have been together as a couple for over a month. 

While Tora didn't exactly thrive professionally over the past year, Poppy encouraged him throughout their friendship and relationship to go on a journey of healing and self discovery that he never knew himself capable of. Poppy was the first person he was able to speak in-depth with about some of his abuse as a child and about how stuck he felt in the world of crime. She listened to Tora, she didn't judge or pity him, and she supported him through every single moment of any disclosure he gave her. From their talks over their time together, Poppy developed a detestation for Vincent Balthuman that was not lost on Tora. Seeing how furious she was at the person responsible for his occupational prison and personal turmoil was somehow comforting. Poppy wasn't normally someone who hated others, but her hatred towards Vincent was born from her affection for Tora, and her feelings motivated Tora to try to be a better version of himself. Though Tora wasn't ready for a therapist, he and Poppy looked into written materials related to his experiences and issues. Having language from people who survived trauma and from people who dedicated their careers to treating it gave Tora some guidance on how to handle his own pain. If Tora was able to separate who he was and what his values were from the things Vincent put him through and molded him to do, then he believed it was all thanks to being with Poppy.

Poppy still lived in the same apartment building, she still loved to make art, she still ate animal-shaped riceballs, she still loved to read, and she would still unwind to indie pop music. But, Poppy was no longer the green new-hire she was when she first met Tora. And thanks in no small part to Poppy, Giant Goldfish wasn't the same small, struggling startup business. By landing Mr. Lam's investment and Quincey's contract with her publishing company, Poppy steadily climbed the ranks. And she did it by her principles - protecting the vision of the writers, giving honest feedback and following through on any promise she made. This engendered goodwill with her boss, her colleagues and anyone she brought into the company. She helped the company grow, landed bigger investments, worked to build relationships with new talent and substantially assisted with the output of great work. As her professional success increased, so did her income. However, Poppy still lived on a fixed and humble budget, that now happened to include monthly payments for a used, modest compact SUV. Poppy internally attributed some of her professional progress and increased earnings to being with Tora. He helped her gain confidence, encouraged her boldness and celebrated her accomplishments. Poppy knew Tora would never see it the same way, but she honestly felt like she became a better person and a better professional because of him. 

A part of Poppy's increased responsibilities included going on trips for work. Tora hated that aspect of her job. He always wanted to have convenient physical access to the person he cared about above everyone else. But, he could never bring himself to voice this to Poppy. How could he? Tora would never want to impede any of her ambitions, or take away anything from her hard work. Though if he were to be honest about her job situation, Tora started to disliked it. He was concerned by how tired it made her feel lately, and she so seemed stressed. She even looked like she was losing weight. However, he was the last person to criticize anyone's career, given what he did to pay the bills.

On Friday evening, Poppy was preparing to leave for a work trip set to last two weeks - her longest and farthest work trip to date. She was attending a convention and meetings at a distant university. She was going to be a panelist representing her publishing company. While she was up there, she would take to the opportunity to conduct research for an article and meet with potential talent. She was also set to meet with important investment contacts, courtesy of Mr. Lam. Tora was at her apartment as she was packing. She decided to spend Saturday with her granny and depart from the airport closer to Moonbright on Sunday. After she zipped up her luggage, she turned to look at Tora. 

"Ya that excited to leave me, Bobby?" He smirked to cover up any melancholic feelings stemming from her impending departure.

"I'm never happy to leave you, Tora. You must know that." Poppy replied as she moved to bury her face into his chest and wrap her arms around his torso. 

Tora embraced her and placed his face in her hair, taking in the scent of her shampoo. Moments after they begun hugging, Tora brought Poppy's face towards his own for a peck that would crescendo into deep kisses and grabs at each other. Pausing to take off their clothes, the pair met each other again. Poppy was kneeling at the edge of her bed when she wrapped her arms around his neck and proceeded to kiss his ear. She knew that would drive him crazy. She loved the vocals of his pleasure as she stuck her tongue in his ear and then gently nibbled on his lobe. She started to kiss her way down his neck when Tora grabbed Poppy's back with one arm and the back of one of her knees with the other arm in order to lay her on the bed. Poppy tried to interrupt so that she could give him head first, but Tora wasn't having it. 

"I wanna taste ya, Sweetheart. Please let me." Tora whispered into Poppy's ear.

After a small nod from Poppy, Tora worked his way from the top down, kissing both her eyebrows, meeting her mouth, moving along her neck, making a longer stop at her breasts, leaving a trail of tender kisses on her soft stomach, nibbling gently on her hip down to her inner thigh, and finally, making contact with her lower lips. Tora loved the experience of going down on Poppy. He enjoyed her taste, her texture, her scent, and most of all, her pleasure. Sometimes, Tora would go down on Poppy without any intention of having penetrative sex. Tonight, however, was not one of those times. He needed to feel her. He craved having his dick being wrapped inside her. He wanted to feel her body under him, just connected to her as comprehensively as possible. 

Poppy loved seeing seeing Tora's head between her thighs. She loved the feel of his mouth and fingers on her. She loved to see the attention Tora gave to her body. And, she had enough girlfriends to know that no all men were givers. So, Poppy never took Tora's efforts to pleasure her for granted. After Tora made her close to cumming for the second time, she tried to pull Tora. 

"Tora... I need you... I need you inside... inside of me... Please..." Poppy pantingly pleaded.

Tora pulled back and made his way to being on top of her. He found her opening and thrusted his erect cock into Poppy's warm, moist pussy. He was happy inside her. Her body was home. 

Poppy loved seeing Tora, who was so defined, large and powerful, anchored to her much smaller, softer body. She loved their sex. Their sexual congress was communication beyond words and gestures. They had experienced lustful sex when they were driven purely by sexual urge, lovingly tender sex, and just like now, greedy sex. Greedy for contact, for connection, for intimacy before a trip that would separate them. They wanted to make their marks on each other to tide themselves over in anticipation of their upcoming separation. Tora progressively increased the strength of his thrusts into Poppy, culminating into hard slams. Poppy's whole body followed the lead of Tora's cock, jerking up and down on the bed with the hit and release of each plunge. Poppy relished the fullness and passion of Tora's penetration into her body. 

Tora lowly groaned as Poppy started biting Tora's chest - though he enjoyed everything about it. She needed something to steady her as she edged closer to completion. Finally, Tora took her there. She wished she could live in the feeling of her climax that radiated throughout her body. Soon after she finished, Tora followed suit, uttering a loud moan as he spilled into her. 

After cleaning themselves up, they went back to bed to lay down next to each other. Both closed their eyes, yet neither was sleeping. They absorbed the stillness in the room after such a frenetic exchange of their bodies.

"Hey, Bobby, ya sure I can't give you a ride to the airport?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. It doesn't make sense for you to go out that far to drop me off and pick me up."

"Do you have to see ya grandma this weekend?"

"Come on, Tora. She's the only one I have left."

"Ya got me, Poppylan. But, yeah, I get what you're saying. I really do want ya to enjoy your visit with her."

"Tora, you have me too. You know that, right?"

Tora nodded and pulled their naked bodies closer together.

They spent that night sleeping, waking up a once more to have each other again. Then, sunrise arrived quicker than either of them was prepared for. They went about their morning at a dispirited pace, less than eager to depart from each other. Tora grabbed Poppy's luggage and walked her down to her car. After packing up her car, Tora turned to find Poppy crying into her palms. The sight had him feeling a lump emerging in his throat. He moved to hug her. 

After a few sobs into Tora's chest, Poppy tilted her face upwards to make eye contact with Tora. "I'm sorry, Tora, for crying like this. This is going to be the longest time and farthest distance we'll spend away from each other since we first met. I know it's not it's not forever, and I really shouldn't be like this. I'm just going to miss you so much." Poppy stopped to take a deep breath in. "I really love being with you. I... I l-love you." Poppy exhaled and looked down at her feet. "You don't have to say it back. I just wanted to let know how I felt before I left." It was the first time she declared her true feelings for Tora. She felt a sense of relief from finally attaching words to the feelings she carried for him.

Tora gently directed Poppy's chin back up to see her face. "Poppylan Wilkes, don't ya know it already? I love you. I love more than anyone and anything. Don't ya get it? You're my girl." He then kissed her deeply before repeating his feelings. "I love you, Sweetheart. I love you so fucking much." He said as he crushed her in a hug.

After some more crying, Poppy stepped back, wiped her eyes and took a steadying breath.

"I know I didn't ask if you were going back up to my place, but I left you surprise in the fridge. I'll let you know when I get to granny's. Call me and text me whenever you want." She paused to take another deep breath. "Well, I'm off. I love you, you big thug. I miss you already." 

"I love ya, Bobby. Drive slowly. Make sure you eat and sleep well. Don't run ya self ragged. And if you say the word, I'll be there for you if ya need me. Fly, drive, I don't care."

"Same, Tora. Let me know if you need me to come back. I love you." 

Poppy shot Tora one last big smile, blew him a kiss, got in her car and started her trip. Tora stood and watched Poppy's car until it was out of sight. His heart was wrapped in sadness and uneasiness. "Since when did the Tiger of Ares Street become so dependent on someone else," he thought to himself. Using the key she gave him last month, he went back up to Poppy's place. 

Tiger-shaped riceballs and seafood. "Fuck, I love that woman," Tora whispered to himself. He closed the door, leaned against the fridge, slid to the kitchen floor, and closed his eyes. 

Tora clenched his fists and tried to pacify himself. "She'll come back to me. She said she would. Support her the way she supports you. Breathe."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy and Tora each think about their relationship. In doing so, they examine their own insecurities.

Poppy was overcome with an unsettling amount of separation anxiety. As much as she loved Tora, she didn't like how she was processing her departure from him. She had intermittent crying sessions for the first hour of her drive. She wondered how she became so emotionally dependent on Tora. Was it unhealthy to be this distraught over not seeing him for a couple of weeks? She started to become enveloped by her low confidence and self-esteem issues. She knew Tora was sad to see her go, but she couldn't imagine he was as upset as she was. 

Was Tora crying? Was he feeling anxious? Did he feel insecure? She highly doubted it. 

From her perspective, Tora has always been so strong and capable. He had a capacity to process pain and sadness in a way that kept moving him forward. In her opinion, it was like his superpower. How else did he cope with everything he went through and still turn out to be so kind, generous and resilient? Maybe her absence would ultimately be inconsequential for Tora. Maybe he would realize what she suspected all along - that he really didn't want to be with her. Though she would never explicitly admit it, Poppy silently struggled with accepting her relationship with Tora. Maybe she felt this way because two of the most important relationships in her life didn't last. Her mom left. Then, her dad died. What if Tora left her too? Maybe that's why she lived so modestly, saved so much money and worked so desperately at her job. Would she lose her position? Could she believe that she was allowed to keep the good things in life?

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and stop putting your issues on Tora." Poppy said outloud with reproach for how pathetic she was feeling. 

"He loves me." She repeated this sentence like a prayer for a few moments until she came down from her sadness and anxiety. 

After some patterned breathing and cleaning off her tears, Poppy resolved to not call Tora until she got to her granny's home. She needed to know that she wasn't too dependent on Tora, and she wasn't a slave to her insecurity. After all, Tora hadn't called or texted since she left. She wanted to be okay like Tora, not clingy or needy. 

About two and half hours after leaving for her trip, she arrived at her destination. Shortly after parking, she decided to phone Tora.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tora ate the lunch Poppy prepared for him at the low table, their normal spot for meals. Although Poppy was small in stature, her absence from her apartment felt large and overwhelming. What if these long work trips became more frequent? What if she gets an amazing job offer somewhere else, as far away as that university she's going to tomorrow? He couldn't imagine himself stopping her from chasing the best opportunities in life. 

A part of Tora always believed his relationship with Poppy was bound to end. Though he suspected it would be his job that would push them to break up, not hers. He was in the mafia for fuck's sake, and she was in a totally normal, safe career. In all honesty, Tora was so proud of his smart, hardworking, persistent and creative little hamster. Anyone who works with her couldn't deny how wonderful she is. Tora, on the other hand, evoked fear and tension from people around him. Granted, it worked well for his position, but he had trouble reconciling his menacing personality with Poppy's sweet, lighthearted energy. He contemplated treating this time apart as a taste of the inevitable day when things ended. According to Tora, it was obvious things were bound to end. He believes Poppy deserves a safe and stable future, and he's not sure he could ever provide that for her. He was contemplating not frequently bothering her with phone calls and texts. Just maybe doing a daily check in and reaching out if she specifically requests him to. 

"Fuck, not even two hours... I need to get the hell outta this damn apartment." He muttered in order to motivate himself to move forward with his day. He locked up her unit and decided to chill out at Regina's peak for little bit before taking care of some clan business later that night. About an hour later, his phone rang.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Bobby?" He answered the phone with relief swelling in his chest. She was calling at the time he anticipated her to be done driving.

"Hey!" She was so happy to hear his voice. "I just parked in front of my Granny's place. There were no problems on the road thankfully."

"That's good to hear, Sweetheart." 

"Did you see what I left you in the fridge?"

"Yeah, it was delicious. Ya know I'm a sucker for ya cooking."

Poppy blushed as she always felt remarkably happy when Tora acknowledge his love of her food. "My landlady agreed to water my plants while I'm away, but I told her you may stop by. If you ever want to crash there, it should be clear after 7 every night. She said she wouldn't come in until noon."

"I probably won't be stopping by if you're not there." Tora didn't want to explain how empty her place was without her. Maybe it felt that way because he still felt like an outsider. Maybe he needed her there to give him permission to enjoy her space with her. 

"Yeah, okay, that makes more sense." Why did the idea of him not being there make her blue? Although, it really does make sense. Even though they spent the majority of their time alone together at her place, they didn't live together. Still, Poppy felt like Tora was a natural fit in her apartment. 

"Alright, Tora. I'm off to hang with Granny. Call me anytime."

"Have fun with her. You can call me anytime too."

"Bye, Tora."

"Bye, Sweetheart." 

Tora was kicking himself, wondering why he couldn't tell her how much he loves and misses her. He wished desperately to be better with his words, to be able to better express himself. "Fuck" he yelled to no one in particular.

Poppy immediately regretted ending their phone call without telling him she loved him. As much as she wanted to mirror his actions and behaviors while apart, she realized there was some things worth appearing clingy for. She called him again.

"Bobby, ya okay?" Though Tora was concerned, he was thankful to have another chance to express himself better.

"I love you. I love you, Tora. I'm sorry to bother you just to say that, but I had to. I love you so incredibly much."

"Poppylan, ya never have to apologize to me about calling... Never. And, you could say "I love you" a trillion times, and it still would feel like I won a prize each time ya said it. Like I said earlier, I love ya so fucking much. I meant to say it on the phone before. You know I'm just not the best with saying how I feel sometimes. I love and miss ya, Bobby."

His words were like a salve for the self-inflicted emotional wounds left by her fears, anxiety and doubts. She exhaled in relief. "I miss you very much, Tora." After taking a deep breath, she proceeded to say goodbye. "Okay, I'm heading in for real this time. Talk to you soon."

"Talk to ya tonight, Sweetheart."

"Goodbye, Love."

"Goodbye, Bobby."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppylan spends some quality time with her Granny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the length of Tora and Poppy's relationship from over 6 months to a month because their insecurity about being with each other seems more plausible with a relationship that's newer.

After getting off the phone with Tora, Poppy got her backpack and proceeded to her grandmother's home. As much as she enjoyed her life in Narin City, there was always a particular joy and comfort she experienced when she visited her Granny. She loved the smell of the home, the furniture, the photos and most of all, the woman who lived there. 

"Granny? I'm here! Where are you?"

Poppy's grandmother soon emerged from the kitchen. "Poppy girl! Welcome home, my little cutie!" Her grandmother said before wrapping her beloved Poppylan up in tight hug. "Baby, you've lost weight. Are you okay?" Granny asked as she released Poppy and tenderly touched her granddaughter's face.

"Oh yes, Granny. I've just been really busy at work. It's been kind of crazy and stressful, especially with preparations for this trip."

"Well, you better be prepared to eat well at dinner! I was just fixing up some goodies for tonight. Of course, I'm making some of your favorites, including karaage!"

"Aww gee whiz, Granny, you're really the best, you know that? I love you so incredibly much!" Poppy said with a wide smile and another, even tighter hug.

The afternoon and evening were rather enjoyable for Poppy. Being with Granny and her cat, Ernest, gave Poppy the opportunity to relax. She wasn't as stressed about her job, and at that moment, she wasn't overwhelmed by her own insecurity over her relationship with Tora. Perhaps her grandmother was the person in her life with whom she felt the most at ease. Although, Poppy did make sure to never take her grandmother for granted. After all, her Granny was getting older. The time spent with her grandmother felt even more precious as they both became older. 

Poppy played sous chef to her master chef grandmother. At Granny's direction, Poppy chopped, diced, mixed, measured, coated, stirred and whatever miscellaneous verbs were necessary to cook up their meal for two. As Poppy expected, dinner was delectable. She ate beyond satiation, savoring the flavors of her dinner that were thoughtfully curated by her beloved grandmother. They talked, laughed and got on in a way to maximize there invaluable time together. While Poppy and Granny carried a lot of hurt in their hearts for all the losses and pain they endured, they both felt blessed beyond measure to have each other. 

Maybe due to the influence of the general splendor from their time together so far, Poppy decided to tell her Granny about Tora for the first time. She waited to have this discussion because her grandmother didn't seem too keen on Poppy dating after her relationship with Julri ended. 

"Granny, guess what?" Poppy asked as her grandmother had just finished another sip of dessert plum wine.

"Hmm, what's up, Buttercup?"

Poppy slightly giggled at her response. "I-I've met someone... a new guy. Actually, we've know each other for about a year, but we've only recently started dating."

"Really? Well then, go on. I want to know more. What's this gentleman's name?

"His name is Tora, and he's so wonderful, Granny. I've never felt this way before. I didn't know I could feel this way about a man." Poppy's candor compelled Poppy to place her hand over her clenching heart. 

"Oh darling, I love that he makes you feel good. You never really gushed like this about that rubbish ex-boyfriend of yours. What's his name - Junkie?" Granny said with a smirk as she intentionally messed up Julri's name.

"I suppose I didn't." Poppy replied as she giggled.

"Go on, Love. Tell me more."

"Well, he's so sweet and smart. He's naturally brilliant, Granny. And he's so strong. Like, he's been through some unbelievably awful things in life that should have rotted his soul, but he's survived everything with his core goodness intact. And, Granny, he's gorgeous. He's like art in motion. It's kind of intimidating being with him. I've seen other women look at him while he's with me. He's so tall and muscular. And, I think he a lot of money. I..." Poppy paused in the middle of her sentence, scared to speak openly about her insecurity.

"What is it, my sweet girl? You can talk to me about anything."

"I don't know what he's doing with someone like me." Poppy confessed lowly as she looked away.

"Baby girl, has this man done anything to make you doubt yourself, or doubt his feelings for you?"

"No, granny. In fact, I feel like he tries to demonstrate his affection in different ways. And based on what he says, he seems to have a rather high opinion of me."

"Well, if he's so smart and wonderful, then why are you doubting his decision to be with you? It doesn't make sense to question his choice to spend time with you if he's being respectful and good to you. You can only control your own behavior. That's not to say we can't judge the behavior of someone who treats you badly. But, based on what you said, that's not the case with Tora. I don't think you should waste your time scrutinizing someone for treating you well, Poppylan."

"I know that logically. I'm just scared about getting good things in life because I feel like I'm only going to lose them."

"Darling, you and I have weathered a lot of loss together. But, you know what? I would go through all that suffering again rather than not ever having the love and goodness of my times with your grandfather, your dad and you. The joy and fulfillment you three have given me far outweigh the bad stuff." Granny grabbed Poppy's hand and squeezed it. "I'm thankful for that every single day. As long as you're careful with who you let into your heart, and as long as you don't lose who you are, then I don't want you to run away from something good. You deserve to be happy, baby girl. And, believe it or not, he's lucky to have you. Trust me, Granny knows."

"Thank you, Granny." Poppy said through tears as she cried and embraced her grandmother.

Before going to sleep, Poppy texted Tora. "Are you available to talk? It's okay if you're aren't. If you can't talk right now, I want to say I love and miss you. Have a great night :-)" Her phone then rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bobby? How's everything at ya grandma's?" 

They spoke for a while. Poppy bragged about her wonderful dinner, and Tora admitted he wished he could have been there to partake. They even discussed visiting her Granny together one day. During their discussion, they decided to send each other one selfie a day for every day they were apart. 

Shortly after ending their phone call, Poppy sent Tora a goofy photo with her tongue out. Tora smiled. "Fuck, she's adorable." Tora sent her a photo of his face with furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips.

"Big bad thug with the best heart, mind and soul <3 Goodnight :-)" Poppy texted. 

"Sweet dreams, Bobby :)"

Poppy then went to her grandmother's room and curled up with her to sleep for the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy starts her work trip. Tora reflects on an important memory and makes a new resolution about how he's going to approach his relationship with Poppy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear the plot will thicken soon, lol! I hope this setup isn't too boring in the meantime! :-)

Poppy woke up with her grandmother cuddling her. She missed and enjoyed this nurturing embrace from the woman who stepped in to be her mother, father and grandparent. Poppy desperately took it in as it would be the last bit of physical affection she would receive before being away in a new, unfamiliar setting. Though she had traveled for work before, Poppy's previous work trips were two days long at most and never involved a flight. While she felt exhausted, she was also anxious to get everything started. In her mind, the sooner she began the sooner she would return to her normal life, to Tora. She quietly slipped out of bed to finalize everything for her trip. Poppy looked over her documents one more time, and she checked to see if she had all her essential items in her luggage. She was ready. Poppy consumed a delicious green tea blend and her Granny's tamagoyaki for breakfast before getting into the schedule car service for her trip to the airport.

"Poppy dear, I'm so incredibly proud of you. I know you're doing fantastic work. Be sure not to push yourself too much, baby girl. Eat well, get plenty of rest, and have confidence in yourself. Really darling, just be you. You're amazing. You're my grandbaby after all." Granny then wrapped Poppy up in the last tight hug of the visit and gave her kisses on her cheek.

"Thank you, Granny, for everything. By the way, I left my car keys on the hook. I'll be back in two weeks, but feel free to use the car in the meantime. I love you so very much."

"I love you beyond measure, Poppy Girl."

It took Poppy about an hour to get to the airport closest to Moonbright. After checking in her luggage, Poppy proceeded to her gate. She called Granny to let her know that she made it safely. Then, she decided to phone Tora.

"Bobby?" Tora said tiredly.

"Good morning, Mr. Sleepy! I'm at my gate, ready to go."

"I'm glad to hear it, Sweetheart."

"How's everything on your end?"

"Same old shit here." Tora paused briefly to shift to a sitting position on his couch. "You waited to reach out 'cause you didn't wanna wake me up, right?"

Poppy sighed before saying, "Guilty as charged."

"Don't worry about that. You call or text me whenever ya want, especially while you're away. I love ya, Bobby. Let me know when ya land and then when ya check into the hotel... please?"

"Of course. I love you too. I'll talk to you soon."

Poppy had never been on a plane before, and the experience was simultaneously scary and exciting for the portion of the flight that she was awake. She was happy to have a window seat. Her row had an empty middle seat and a kind, older woman sitting in the aisle. After 4 hours in the air, the plane's captain made an announcement about the imminent arrival to Khoroo International Airport. Poppy looked out of the window to take in the different landscape. She noticed a large, beautiful blue lake and plenty of mountains nearby what looked like a small town. When she got outside after collecting her luggage, Poppy was amazed by the view of the snow-capped mountains against the sky. The scenery looked like a painting. She snapped a shot of herself against the mountainous skyline for her daily selfie to Tora. Tora responded with a photo of his hand giving a thumbs up. Tora's wrist was adorned with her strawberry hair tie, much to Poppy's pleasure.

For her first week in town, Poppy was set to participate in a publisher's convention at Khoroo University and conduct meetings with potential investors set up by Khoroo native, Mr. Lam. During open periods in her schedule during the first week of her trip, Poppy planned to conduct preliminary research about the subject of her next freelance article, Khoroo University. Khoroo's a college town. The university is the biggest employer and the center of cultural activity in the area. During the weekend and the second week, Poppy planned to interview university administrators, look into businesses catering to the university population and interview some townies - people who were lifelong residents of Khoroo.

After checking into to her hotel, Poppylan rubbed her hands together, quickly patted her cheeks twice with both hands and looked into the bathroom mirror. "Okay, Pops, you have a job to do. Let's represent the company well at the convention, let's bring in some more investors, and let's write a damn great article worthy of this beautiful city! You got this!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tora's Saturday night was soured by his mafia duties. He took no pleasure in participating in clan affairs, but he got through it. Tora dragged his feet through the threshold of his apartment unit's front door and crashed on the couch. It was first night in a while where he decided to sleep at his place. Tora laid on the couch with eyes closed for a few minutes before he got up to change into a T-shirt that Poppy gave to him for Christmas.

****8 months ago****

There was a knock at Tora's front door a few days before Christmas day. The sound both irritated and slightly alarmed Tora. He was still sleeping, and he wasn't expecting any company. As he cautiously opened the door, he immediately registered Poppy's small stature.

"Ack! Were you still sleeping? I know you have late nights with your work, but I figured noon would be okay for you. I'm so sorry!"

"S'okay, Bobby." He said as he relaxed, knowing there was no imminent danger, and rubbed his eyes. He then asked while yawning, "What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

"Oh yes. I'm just leaving the city to spend the holidays with my Granny. Before I left, I wanted to see you and give you your Christmas gift." She gave Tora a shiny red gift bag and shot him a really big smile.

"Fuck, Poppylan, I didn't get ya anything. I'm sorry, I just don't normally do shit like this." Tora stated remorsefully.

"Dude, I didn't get this for you to get something back. Besides, the gift's not a big deal. It's just a small gesture to show that I appreciate you and our friendship. I just hope it helps you enjoy the holidays." As Tora was about to open it, she shrieked, "No, you have to wait until Christmas day! Please? Pinky swear that you'll wait!" She then held out her pinkie, waiting for Tora respond in kind.

"Shit, you could just take my word for it." He grumbled as he hooked his pinkie with hers. Though, if he were to be honest, Tora enjoyed these kinds of interactions with Poppy.

"Happy holidays, Tora! Guess I'll see you next year!"

"Jesus, Bobby, you're corny." Tora responded as he gave her a subtle smile. Poppy giggled and then waved goodbye.

Tora decided to open the gift from Poppy on Christmas afternoon. The first thing he saw was a glittery card with snowflakes. Before he read what it said, Tora lowly chuckled at the sparkly blue ink Poppy used to pen her message. He then proceeded to read what Poppy wrote.

_"'To have endured horrors, to have seen the worst of humanity and have your life made unrecognizable by it, to come out of all that honorable and brave— that was magical.' ― Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children_

_Tora, this quote is perfect for you. Your strength and generosity inspire me to better myself. I count myself very lucky to have you as a friend._

_Merry Christmas!_

_Sincerely,_

_Bobby_

_P.S. - Let me know if the gift doesn't fit so I can get you the right size._ "

Tora didn't know how to process the message, which he read over and over again for a couple of minutes. He almost forgot to check the bag for the actual gift item. He dug under some tissue and found a dark gray T-shirt with a red dinosaur holding free weights on it. Under the dinosaur, there was a caption that said, "TYRANNOSAURUS FLEX".

"I'm the lucky one." Tora lightly whispered to himself as he held out the shirt. The gift fit well on Tora. Even it didn't, there was no way he would give it back because that was the very shirt she personally selected for him. He decided to wear it for the rest of the day.

****The Present****

Tora pulled out the Christmas card from under his couch and read it again. The impact of her words was still strong. He placed a hand over his heart to still the frenzy in his chest. He got up to smoke and play the guitar until he felt tired enough to sleep. He was happily woken up by Poppy's phone call. After some hours passed and he sent her his thumbs up photo, he decided to go for a run.

While running, Tora decided to reexamine his feelings about falling back from his relationship with Poppy. He knew this plan to limit communication with Poppy came from his own issues and fears. He wasn't going to run away from her. Instead of dwelling on the what-if's of his future with Poppy, Tora resolved to move forward and focus on what he did know. Tora knows they love each other. He knows that she makes him feel happy. And, he knows he wants to be with her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter of flashbacks starting 5 months before the main story, we see some critical moments that lead up to Poppy and Tora becoming a couple.

****Five Months Ago****

It was late in the afternoon when Tora heard an alert for a new text. Tora was pleasantly surprised to see it was a message from Poppy. They hadn't communicated very much that week, which was odd. She wasn't even reaching out to Quincey. 

"Hey, Tora. I hope all is well on your end. I wondering if I could trouble you for a favor. Could you give me a ride home from the train station tonight? Sorry to bother you. I understand if you're busy."

Poppy's text seemed off to Tora. There were no exclamation marks, or emojis. She even apologized for no reason. 

"sure thing bobby. you know i love favors. what time?"

"My train arrives at 6:30pm. Thank you so very much."

Tora knew something was wrong as soon as he saw Poppy. She was wearing a black dress, a black coat and black shoes. Tora usually saw her in bright colors or patterns. Even more concerning than her outfit was the look on her face. Her expression was blank bordering on sad. Tora had seen Poppy angry, scared and upset, but this was something different entirely. When Poppy saw Tora, she gave him a faint, obligatory smile and walked over. After she settled into the car, there was a momentary silence. Tora wasn't sure about whether he should say something, but then Poppy finally spoke.

"Thank you for picking me up. I'm really sorry to trouble you." Her voice lacked her normal cheer.

"Shit, Poppy, ya don't have to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. Did ya eat? Are ya hungry? We can grab you some food before I drop ya off."

"Well, if you've some time, maybe we can pick something up and eat it together at my place? Although, I completely understand if you don't want to, or can't."

"Yeah, I'm down. Just let me call Alice and get something. My treat today - and don't fucking fight me on that." Tora said insistently and with a subtle smirk.

A soft smile broke through on Poppy's face before she looked down at her fidgeting fingers and quietly replied with, "Thank you, Tora."

After calling in a dinner order, Tora put the car in drive and started a quiet trip to the restaurant. Once they parked, Tora left to get the food while Poppy stayed behind in the car. After vaguely explaining what he observed with Poppy and why he couldn't stay longer, Alice decided to throw in a bottle of sake from her own collection. After returning to the car, Tora showed Poppy the gifted sake, which resulted in a positive shift in her mood.

"Is it okay if I crack this open tonight?"

"If that's what ya want, s'fine with me. S'your bottle."

"I have to stop by and thank Alice one of these days." Poppy said as she examined her gift. She paused momentarily and then turned to Tora. "Thank you, Tora, for spending time with me. I didn't want to be alone. It's the anniversary of my dad's passing, and it's the first one to pass since I moved to Narin City. I... I really miss him." Poppy then stopped herself from speaking further. She knew that continuing would only unleash the flood of tears itching to escape from her eyes, and she didn't want to cry anymore today. Despite her struggle, a single tear rolled slowly down her right cheek. Without thinking, Tora used his thumb to wipe it away. Surprised by Tora's tender gesture, Poppy cupped her cheek with her palm after Tora took his hand away. 

Shocked at his own response, Tora cleared his throat loudly before saying, "C'mon, let's get you home."

After Poppy changed her clothes, had some food and imbibed a generous amound of sake, she started talking more about herself.

"It's so funny. Things are really going well at work. I'm making more money, which means I'm starting to finally build a safety net. I'm even thinking of buying a car, which means I won't have to bother you for rides anymore."

"C'mon, Bobby, stop saying you're bothering me. S'not true."

Poppy made a sincerely happy face at hearing that before continuing. "You know my last relationship was horrible. I remember talking about it with you. He was just a garbage bag of a boyfriend. It's probably why I've been so guarded about dating. But gosh, I really wanted the companionship of a nice, reliable partner today. I know I'm fine without it. I know I'm a complete and fully formed person without a romantic relationship. I just really want the kind of affection and support that comes with a boyfriend who treats you well. But, it's so hard for me to date. I'm awkward, and being an adult virgin doesn't help." Poppy paused to take another sip of sake. 

"Why is virginity such a polarizing thing anyway? In my case, it's not a reflection of my morals, and it shouldn't make me seem uptight or weird. Why can't it be more of a neutral fact? Like, 'Hi, I'm Poppy. I'm a virgin, and I love books. Books and virginity should be two facts about me that are treated the same way! It's not like I'm waiting for marriage. I just wasn't treated well by the only boyfriend I had as a teenager and adult, so I didn't want to have sex with him. But, I felt like I was crazy to even consider leaving him because I listened to his excuses and let him walk all over me. So, I wasted my time with my ex instead of finding someone I wanted to have sex with." Poppy placed her cup down. She look downward as she hugged her legs against herself and rested her chin on one of her knees.

Tora processed what she said for a brief moment. He had no idea she was a virgin, but in all honesty, it didn't really matter to him. The fact that she never had sex before _was neutral_ to him, even _more neutral_ than her love of books. Her love books made her so interesting after all. He considered telling Poppy she should think about having him as her companion. He wanted to be the one that supported her as she visited her dad's grave. He wanted to care for her and be affectionate with her. He wanted to explore her sexuality with her at whatever pace she wanted to set. He wanted the two of them to be loyal to each other and carve out a special place in their lives reserved only for each other. He wanted to be with her ever since he started getting to know her. Before he gathered the gumption to tell Poppy how he felt, he noticed she was starting to shift her posture.

Poppy placed her elbows on the low table, and her chin on the heels of her hands as her palms and fingers cupped her face. She then looked at Tora. "I'm sorry to unload all this stuff on you. We can blame it on the sake. But you know, you're one of my best friends. Your friendship is one of the most important and reliable things in my life. I guess that's why it feels easy to talk about my boy problems with you right now. We'll see how I feel once I sober up though. I hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable." 

Friends. Best friends.

Tora's heart ached slightly at the limitation to his relationship with Poppy. He was her friend, and from what he could tell, that's all Poppy wanted from him. The fact that he wasn't invited to fall in love with her didn't stop him from loving her platonically. If friendship was all he was allowed to have, then he would be the best friend he could be without condition. 

"Stop apologizing, will ya? And, you can talk to me about anything. Best friends, right, Bobby?"

****A Month & A Half Ago****

Tora was wrapped up in clan business all day, and he didn't get a chance to eat. Although he was a little irritable from his hunger, he was happy to have a Friday evening for himself. He decided to grab some takeout from one of his regular spots in the neighborhood that had several stray cats. As he was walking, he noticed Poppy. 

Poppy was dressed up in a sleeveless pink dress and tan wedge sandals. Tora thought she looked beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was talking to a man Tora didn't recognize, and he wondered whether she was on a date. Curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to observe her for a little while. He was surprised when the stranger pulled Poppy in for a hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Tora knew the day would come where he would see Poppy with another guy. She told him months ago that she wanted that kind of relationship. With someone as beautiful and amazing as Poppy, Tora figured it would only be a matter of time. Even knowing this, Tora was not prepared for the sting he felt in his chest. After seeing Poppy part ways with her date, he lit up a cigarette and made his way towards her.

Poppy was giddy from the experience of her first real date since breaking up with Julri about a year ago. She felt proud of herself for getting back out there. She had been quite nervous about the whole process. Erdene had assisted with setting up a profile for Poppy on a dating site. While Poppy was initially apprehensive about the method, she came to appreciate the utility of the platform. Although she didn't have a great amount of chemistry with the man she had dinner with, she had a good enough time. He was cute, nice and respectful. She wondered if chemistry was something that could evolve the more she got to know him. As she was reflecting on her dinner experience, she was surprised to see Tora as she was walking.

"Tora? Hey! What are you up to?"

"Hey, Bobby. Just grabbing some dinner." Tora responded in an impassive manner. He took another drag of his cigarette before speaking again. "So, I saw you were with someone. Were ya out on a date, or something?"

Blushing and smiling, Poppy responded with, "Y-yeah, it was my first real date in a year! I'm trying to put myself out there and get into the dating scene."

"Well fuck, you're finally getting desperate for some action, huh? Good for you, Bobby." 

"Desperate? What? What are you talking about, Tora?"

"Ya haven't messed with anyone in a year, yeah? I don't even count our fucking peck on your building's roof. That shit was child's play. So, it's been a while for ya. If you can't get lucky with this guy and lose your virginity soon, call me. I can throw some real action your way." Tora's cold delivery of this response belied the torrent of envy and regret he felt. He knew he was behaving like an ass, but he had succumbed to his own immaturity.

Poppy gripped the strap of her purse tight and silently absorbed what Tora said to her. She looked down at her feet and bit her bottom lip before responding in low and even tone. 

"Go to hell, Tora." Poppy turned around to walk away quickly. She wanted to get far away from Tora before letting herself cry.

Stunned by his own imbecilic behavior, Tora yelled to admonish himself. "Fuck, fuck, fuuuuuck... you fucking asshole!" He stood with arms akimbo for a small moment as he looked down at the ground. He knew he messed up. He knew there was no excuse to speak to her that way. He knew that if he didn't atone for his behavior, he could lose Poppy. He moved quickly to catch up with her. She was a good distance ahead of him when he saw her turn and disappear between two buildings.

Poppy was almost jogging away from Tora. She needed to get away from people on the street, so she turned into the first alley she could find. She leaned her shoulder against a brick wall with her back to the street and started to cry. She didn't understand Tora's behavior, and she wasn't interested in understanding it. She was furious at him for being so dismissive and disrespectful.

"Bobby, I'm..."

"Just leave. Just leave me alone. Don't you think you've said enough?

"Poppylan, I'm sorry for being a fucking dick to you. I'm not gonna to give ya any excuses. I was a piece of shit for talking to you that way, and I'm really fucking sorry. I would kick the shit outta anyone who talked to ya like that, and honestly, I think I deserve that kinda punishment myself." 

Poppy sniffled for a bit, took a few deep, labored breaths and wiped her face before turning around to Tora. She kept her eyes off of him as she began to speak. "Tora, over the past year, I've gleaned that you have this epic sexual history. I know this stuff is easy for you and probably not that serious. But, some us aren't that gifted. Sex, romance, dating and relationships aren't simple things for everyone. I'm trying to move forward. I'm trying my best to stay positive and just... try. Then here you come and mockingly highlight the small amount of experience I have with men. You called me desperate. You needlessly discussed my virginity. You made fun of how I kissed you." 

With furrowed brows and narrowed eyes, Poppy finally looked at Tora. "Why? Why would say that stuff? What gives you the right to speak like that to me, or anyone else? I know you've been through a lot in your life, but your pain doesn't give you a license to mistreat me, or anybody else!" Though tears silently fell down her face and her bottom lip quivered, she spoke to Tora sternly and with determination. She was done with being disrespected.

Tora looked away before speaking. "Bobby, you never deserve to be spoken to that way, not by anyone, but especially not me. I'm supposed to be your friend."

"Then why, Tora? Explain your behavior."

After an extended moment of silence, Tora finally made eye contact with Poppy. "'Cause I wish we weren't just friends. 'Cause I wanna be with you so badly. I've wanted you since I first saw you, and getting to know you has only made that more true. I was jealous... jealous of that guy who hugged ya and kissed your face. I'm jealous of the fact that you see him as someone who could be your boyfriend. I wish I could be more than your friend, but honestly, I think having you in my life in any way is a gift. I feel better when I'm around you. I know we've been through a lot a shit the whole time we've know each other though. You know how fucked up my job and my life is. It makes sense you don't see me that way after everything we went through with the notebook and clan shit. Fuck, I wish I could let this shit go and focus on how lucky I am to know ya at all. I thought I could. Seeing you today on a date... my jealousy got the better of me. I shouldn't have said that shit to you. My issues are on me. I'll never shit on you and anyone you date like that again. I'm really sorry, Bobby." 

Poppy was stunned. She figured Tora saw her as just a friend throughout their relationship and attributed any suggestive behavior to him merely teasing her. If she were to be honest with herself, she's always been attracted to him. She always felt comfortable around him, and she admired him greatly. She didn't entertain anything beyond friendship because she couldn't imagine Tora feeling the same way. After taking some time to adjust to the weight of Tora's confession, Poppy walked towards him.

"You're not allowed mistreat me like that anymore. If you have feelings you need to work out, then work them out without disrespecting me. If I do something that bothers you, then get to a place mentally where you can properly talk to me. Don't just crap on me." She then walked past him. 

Tora figured she was leaving him behind in the alley and didn't turn towards her. He was hoping that maybe she could forgive him and move past what he told her. He tried to emphasize how good he felt about their friendship to let her know that he's okay with having nothing more if that's not what she wanted.

"Tora, you coming?" Poppy stuck out her hand.

"Bobby..." Tora whispered in surprise after he turned around. 

"You need to get dinner, and I think I deserve a dessert of the chocolate variety - your treat, of course, for being such a jerk. Maybe you can pick something up for the two of us, and we can go to my place to eat tonight?" 

"Anything for you, Bobby." He said with a contrite yet hopeful smile as he grabbed her hand. 

Tora then pulled Poppy in for a hug. After a moment of being surprised, Poppy hugged Tora back. They stayed in that alley for a short while in their embrace before setting off for Poppy's apartment together.


End file.
